Hotel Sonnenberg

I booked this place through Agoda with the wrong dates by mistake. I realized within two minutes and submitted a cancellation right away, but the hotel still refused to refund the £178. I fully admit I made the booking mistake, but cancelling so quickly could hardly have affected their bookings. I find that unbelievable. The owners' morals and treatment of customers are disgusting.

The view was fantastic, and the three staff members were doing their best while juggling cleaning, cooking, and management. Carolina in particular was incredibly kind and helpful, and the breakfast was very good. But the rest of the stay was disappointing enough that we left a day early, which I’ve never done before. Getting a refund would have meant finding the manager or owner, and I couldn’t do that. There was usually nobody at reception. Room keys were often left there for guests to check themselves in, and when we first arrived, we only found someone because a housekeeper was cleaning our room. I’d already tried asking a simple question twice months before the trip and never got an answer. The hotel may once have been lovely, but it badly needs updating. For $300 a night, our tiny room wasn’t what I expected. The shower was cold and had hardly any pressure until I complained; it was fixed the following night. The heavy frosted-glass bathroom door needed repair too. Unless it was swung all the way open, it sprang back and hit you. There were no modern upgrades, so I was glad I’d brought adapters for our USB devices. Wi-Fi worked, but there was no Netflix, Prime, or English-language news. The hotel sits up a very steep hill. You don’t need to be that high up to get a beautiful view of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau, since plenty of other places to stay have views too.

For a one-night stay, this chalet was perfect. The room was lovely, roomy enough, comfortable, and had a balcony with a view. Breakfast was just as nice, with fresh bread, trout, local cheeses and meats, and it started at 7:30. We drove and found a small parking area. From there, it’s a short uphill walk with your bags, but it was totally worth it.

The main hassle was getting up the steep slope, especially with heavy luggage. In the shower, the hot water also wasn’t steady and could turn cold when lots of guests were using it. Otherwise, service was good. The manager replied quickly on WhatsApp and arranged a noon check-in for me, and the staff were friendly and helpful. I’d booked a balcony room, which was cozy and had a nice view, though it faced east rather than directly toward the Eiger. I’ve just checked out, and for a three-star hotel I had a pleasant stay, with a few things that could be improved.